MEDIUM PROJECT, Video Scoring

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MEDIUM PROJECT, Video Scoring


Working with Video in GarageBand (video tutorial)



FILM SCORING TUTORIAL


SoundWorks Collection - Some great videos explaining the background of how sound was done for some Hollywood feature films. Check out a few to be inspired!

SCREEN A VIDEO EXCERPT (or two):

View a scene or two to analyze how music and SFXs enhance the drama.

Here is a video mash-up that demonstrates how important/powerful is music in setting the tone for a film. Discuss the emotional power of music regarding film.
Here is a scene from the film, Soul Surfer. Watch the first 4:30 and discuss how music and sound (SFX and DSP effects) are used to support the drama. [NOTE: The scene begins with the tune, "This Is the Life," by the Irish band Two Door Cinema Club.]
Here is a scene from the film, The Chronicles of Narnia. Watch the entire clip and discuss how music and sound (SFX and DSP effects) are used to support the drama.
Here is a great video explaining the importance of sound effects (SFX) in film.
Creating Foley SFX for film (viewed as part of SFX Story - Audio Book Activity).

SELECT VIDEO:

You will either be given a choice of several videos selected by your instructor, OR you can choose from the following:


1) Our Google Folder

2) Internet Archive: http://www.archive.org

3) Videos/Commercials such as these (CONTROL-CLICK/SAVE AS (Mac OS) to download them to your desktop, then play them):


4) YouTube (or other) video you like, downloaded as MPEG or QuickTime format using Firefox's Video Download Add-on (installed on computer running the browser), or a site such as KEEPVID.COM.


COOL, BUT OPTIONAL:

Import your movie into iMovie to trim, edit, add transitions, tiutles, etc., then export as MPEG or MOV.

ALSO - You may want to use YouTube's VIDEO EDITOR to create your video. This online app allows you to import and edit multiple video clips.

WATCH & LEARN: Video on Importing and Working with Video in GarageBand

SCORE VIDEO: WATCH THIS OVERVIEW TUTORIAL ON WORKING WITH VIDEO IN GARAGEBAND, then follow these steps...

1) OPEN GarageBand (or other DAW) - Don't worry about Time Signature and Key right now (you can set those later).
2) INSERT MOVIE - Open Movie Track, drag and drop (or check your DAW's user guide for importing video)
3) SPOT VIDEO and think through musical "feel" (meter, tempo, etc.). What kind of music goes with this scene? USE THIS CUE SHEET FOR SPOTTING.
Make a list of visual events you'd like to be reflected in music (i.e. when a door opens, or a car engine starts up).
4) ADD MARKERS - If possible, place markers along the timeline to show where SFX hits and musical moments (start of section, emotional high, end of section, accents, etc.) occur. This will help organize your score.
5) COMPOSE and/or ARRANGE MUSIC, and add SFX, using what you know about LOOPS, and MIDI and AUDIO RECORDING, and use of DSP Effects/Plug-ins. You may want to create the music first, then the SFX next - or visa versa. CAUTION! Be sure not to obsess and spend too long on SFXs or you may not have sufficient time to create your music!


Examples of SFX Websites:

SoundBible

YouTube Sound Library

FreeSounds.org (login required)

Internet Archive


6) EXPORT TO VIDEO. Here is a screen shot of the GarageBand (File Menu) command to do so:
Movie.png

VIDEO SCORING (and all composition) is PROBLEM SOLVING: What are my resources/players? What music does the activity (or lack thereof) in the video suggest? What is the videotrying to convey and how can my music and SFX support that? To get started, take into consideration the following:

  • Environment and SFX. If your scene is a couple guys fighting in the street, and there are cars/traffic around, you need to do more than just have "action" music to enhance the fight. You need traffic sounds in the background. You need the sound of fists landing on cheeks, etc. Without these, even the best music will seem out of place.
  • Optional voice over dialog?
  • TEMPO of scene. In many cases the pacing of a scene suggests an actual tempo...try snapping a beat as you watch. perhaps use loops to get this rolling.
  • "HITS" and EVENTS. Normally when something striking, new, or otherwise important happens on screen, something corresponding happens in the musical (or SFX). Say you're scoring a car commercial and the scene opens with lots of close ups of the car's detail (i.e. instrument panel/dash, leather stick shift, aluminum wheels, etc.)...but then...suddenly there's a wide shot of the entire car! That's a "hit" and may suggest stoping the rhythmic loops you had going, or introducing new loops or instruments to the texture, or a tempo change, etc., etc.
  • Let the FORM OF THE SCENE dictate the FORM OF YOUR MUSIC.

GRADING RUBRIC (click here)


EXAMPLE

Here's an example of a project for which the student took a martial arts film clip, removed all sound, added their own voice over to replace the dialog (and completely change its meaning!), as well as a music soundtrack: Saga of the Round TV